Author Archives: Mikael

The art of landscape photography

Last week I had landscape photography presentation in Kameraseura – International Evening meeting. This blog post is based on that presentation.

The art of landscape photography

Good light is essential in the landscape photography: if the light is poor, there are no possibilities to capture excellent landscape photos. Because landscape photographers use only available light (at least typically), the only way to guarantee good light is to be in the right time in the right place.

Utö, Korppoo, August 2006

Utö, Korppoo, Finland, August 2006

So planning is essential part of the landscape photography. You can be extremely lucky, but in the most cases, the best pictures demand planning and persistence. Planning requires that you think what is good weather for particular location and subject. You must also study the location in advance, e.g. find out the directions of sunrise and sunset at different times of year.
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Posted in Art of landscape photography, Landscape, Nature, Seascape Tagged , , |

New gallery: Fashion Circus 2004

Fashion Circus 2004

Link to Fashion Circus 2004 Gallery

I photographed this fashion show six years ago, but never published any photos. But because this show was quite unique, I think that these photos are still interesting. At least I have never seen a anything like this later… This show was arranged at the terrace of Ravintola Teatteri in Helsinki, Finland.

Posted in Event, Fashion Show, People Tagged , , |

New gallery: Icy Winter Gallery V

Sunrise in Lauttasaari

Sunrise in Lauttasaari, December 2009 / Link to Icy Winter Gallery V

In my opinion, the winter is the best landscape photography time in Helsinki. Especially the time when the sea freezes is very scenic 🙂 I photographed the first 37 pictures in this gallery during one week (14.-20.12.). The sea froze during that week and even though the photography locations were very close (within 600 meters), the scenery was quite different every day. If the weather is cold enough (about -15 C or colder), the fog will also rise from the open sea, and the scenery looks even better (see the picture below).

Sunrise in Lauttasaari, Helsinki, December 2009

Sunrise in Lauttasaari, Helsinki, December 2009

Posted in Landscape, Nature, Seascape Tagged , , , , , , |

Happy first day of May! / Hauskaa Vappua!

Here is one picture from the last year Vappu celebrations 🙂

Bottoms Up! Vappu 2009

Bottoms Up! Vappu 2009

Posted in Event, People Tagged , , , |

Landscape photography presentation in Kameraseura

Lauttasaari, Helsinki, December 2009

Sunrise in Lauttasaari, Helsinki, December 2009

I will be giving a landscape photography presentation next week in Kameraseura – International Evening meeting. My presentation will be in English. In this presentation I will first discuss shortly about cameras, lenses, and other equipment needed for landscape photography. Then I will discuss about the art of landscape photography, i.e. how to plan your photography, how to work with light, basics of composition and other issues to be considered when taking photos. Finally I will show my landscape photos, the emphasis is on the photos taken this winter (Kuusamo, frosty Helsinki and winter seascapes).

If you are a member of Kameraseura, or consider joining, you are welcome to come and listen my presentation! It will be on next Wednesday (5.5.2010) at 6 pm in Kameraseura (Lastenkodinkatu 1).

Posted in Camera, Cityscape, Filter, Landscape, Lens, Nature, Photography equipment, Tripod Tagged , , , |

New galleries: Plan Ice Gala – Because I am a Girl

Kiira Korpi

Kiira Korpi / Link to Gallery I

Henna Lindholm and Ossi Kanervo

Henna and Ossi / Link to Gallery II

Plan arranged a charity ice gala, Plan Jäägaala – Because I am a Girl, on 11.3.2010. This event collected money to educate, provide health services and improve security of girls in developing countries.

Kiira Korpi, Laura Lepistö, Susanna Pöykiö, Jenni Vähämaa, Henna Lindholm & Ossi Kanervo, Ari-Pekka Nurmenkari, Valtter Virtanen and Mikko Minkkinen performed in the gala. Also synchronized skating teams Marigold IceUnity, Rockettes and Team Unique had their own performances.

Photographing skating show is quite different compared to the photographing of skating competition. During the skating competition the whole hall is illuminated, but in the skating show the skaters are illuminated typically only with spot lights. This has several benefits: you can photograph interesting shadows, background is clean (=very dark, advertisements do not disturb), and you can photograph the flying ice 🙂 The only drawback is that there can be less light than in the competition. The individual skaters in these galleries where typically photographed with ISO 1600 and F2.8. But when the teams were on ice, the spot beams were wider, and there was less light, so typically ISO 3200 and F2 was used…

Posted in Event, People, Skating, Sport Tagged , , , |

New galleries: Papagaio 20 Year Anniversary Show

Papagaio 20 Year Anniversary Show

Link to Papagaio 20 Year Anniversary Show Gallery I

Papagaio 20 Year Anniversary Show

Link to Papagaio 20 Year Anniversary Show Gallery II

The Samba School Império do Papagaio arranged 20 year anniversary show last November in Aleksanterin Teatteri. My target was to capture nice expressions and poses, and I think that managed to capture quite a few good ones 🙂

Note: Papagaio arranges a samba show next Sunday (25.4.2010) in Gloria.

Posted in Dance, Event Tagged , , , |

New gallery: PopFashion 2010 Spring Fashion Show

PopFashion 2010 Spring Fashion Show

Link to PopFashion 2010 Spring Fashion Show Gallery

PopFashion 2010 Spring fashion show was arranged in The Circus on 16.4.2010. The performing artists were Cristal Snow, Suvi Isotalo, Axl Smith and Soma Manuchar. Saimi Hoyer was the host of the evening.

Posted in Event, Fashion Show, People Tagged , , |

New gallery: Winter in Helsinki Gallery

Svenska Teatern

Svenska Teatern / Link to Winter in Helsinki Gallery

All images of this gallery were photographed during the second week of January 2010. The weather was foggy, and all trees were covered with frost, lots of frost. I do not remember ever seeing Helsinki so beautiful in winter time 🙂

Almost all photos taken in Vanha Kirkkopuisto and Esplanadin puisto have been taken with Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5 L II Tilt-Shift lens. That lens is very good for architectural photography. It is very easy to avoid converging verticals with the perspective control of that lens.

While I was photographing scenery in Töölönlahti, I also ended up doing some bird photography. Quite rare sight in the city center of Helsinki!

Töölönlahti, Helsinki, January 2010

Töölönlahti, Helsinki, January 2010

Posted in Cityscape Tagged , , , |

Landscape photography locations in Kuusamo

I have made four photography trips to Kuusamo since 2003. Based on the experiences in these trips, I decided to collect here some info about my favourite photography locations in Kuusamo.

Iivaara

Iivaara sunset

View from Iivaara in summer

  • About 1.5 km walk from the parking lot (Google map link) is required to reach the top of Iivaara.
  • Iivaara (info in Finnish) is very good location for sunset photography during summer and autumn, as you can see sun setting over several small lakes.
  • I have not visited Iivaara during winter, and I assume that the road to the parking lot is not maintained during winter time.

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Posted in Landscape, Nature Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |